St. Augustine

One of the great figures of Western civilization, St. Augustine played many roles during his life: bishop, doctor of the church, philosopher, scholar, founder, and theologian. “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” He was also always a student, forever studying, seeking, and learning. His deep, introspective search into humankind’s struggle between flesh and spirit, paired with his uncanny ability to comprehend human experiences, forever fueled his desire to understand. Raised as a Christian but embracing a hedonistic pagan lifestyle, he originally went to school in Carthage with the intent of becoming a lawyer. Swept away by the classical works he encountered, especially pieces that focused on the conflict between good and evil, he secretly abandoned the field of law for rhetoric, philosophy, and theology. A young man, Augustine was equally fascinated by women and ideas. He viewed married love as a type of wholeness, though did not marry (despite his Catholic mother’s wishes). On one hand, he supported a woman’s right to refuse marriage despite social pressures. However, he also thought of women as sinful, dangerous temptations that can pollute a man’s life, which was a fairly common belief in his time period. One of his famously human prayers was, “Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.” Later on in his life he was inspired to convert and was baptized, becoming known as a man of integrity (“If justice be absent, what is a kingdom but a crowd of gangsters?”) and wrote at great lengths about his personal experiences. He was appointed the Bishop of Hippo and continued to grapple with deep philosophical questions about the nature of man and God, his insights and reflections contributing greatly to Western ideas. He died in 430 while the city was under siege from the Vandals.

Mission Statement|Catholic Digest connects with readers through personal stories of triumphs and struggles, joys and challenges, and also the lighter side of Catholic living. We are a source of support and encouragement for those who love their faith, those who struggle with their faith, and those who long to learn more about the richness of Catholic tradition.

We seek the positive in the world and in our Church. We emphasize those things that Catholics are doing right and well as a means of inspiring and encouraging others to do the same. We are hope-filled, optimistic, and forward-looking.

We highlight the goodness and beauty of God’s creation and the truths of His Church. We find abundant joy in Catholic living and aim to express that joy through inspiring words, images, and ideas.

We move our readers beyond inspiration and toward action. We give Catholics the information, tools, and resources they need to answer God’s call to holiness and bring the light of Christ to others.

Catholic life is both uniquely joyful and uniquely challenging. At Catholic Digest, we invite all to join us as we encourage and support one another in the joyful, challenging, important work of faith and family living.